Covid-19 has greatly changed the high school experience

From being constantly indoors to seeing thousands every day, Covid-19 greatly altered the high school experience through many changes over the past year and a half, as a balance between education and safety protocols must be kept. These massive changes range from new faces at school, a difference in homework loads, and possibly the most memorable change, masks.

Now that school has reopened for many students, the social aspect of these changes has been one of the most enjoyable. For the past year and a half, classes were taken online, and a lot of the time teachers could not even see your face during class. More than that, students would not be able to interact, let alone talk with each other during the last school year, leaving little room for old friendships to continue, or new ones to bloom. Although this may have made school a little more simple and less social-oriented, it was almost depressing how isolated it felt being away from all the other students constantly. Now that in-person school has begun once again, it feels extremely refreshing to be in a real classroom, with real people again.

Another substantial change that Covid caused in the school setting involves the homework load and overall difficulty of classes. I believe this to be the very worst aspect in schools reopening after such a long time online, due to how much of a negative impact it has already had around stress. During online school, I, as well as many others, had very little homework to complete, while the classes appeared easier than last year. However ironic this was, being that a higher grade of school was easier than the last, it did in fact worsen the return to in-person school. In other words, the homework load and class-strain on students quickly picked up again, contrasting greatly in comparison to online. 

One last change in the reopening of school revolves around masks, whereas although they may feel somewhat unnecessary at times, is a crucial part in keeping us safe. Regardless of how little we notice the masks anymore due to how often we wear them, I am happy to see nearly all students wearing masks to protect themselves and those around them. Before school reopened, I believed that few students would wear the masks, not fearing the spread of Covid, but while in school, I have yet to see many without one. I believe that through masks, we can lessen the spread of Covid for the time being more than if we were to not wear them.